Kiran Kakarala

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute

Papers

Total Citations

324

H-Index

About

Dr. Kiran Kakarala is a leading head and neck surgeon whose research has fundamentally advanced the application of robotic surgery for oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancers. His work centers on demonstrating that minimally invasive techniques, such as transoral robotic surgery (TORS), can achieve excellent oncologic outcomes while significantly preserving patients’ quality of life—a critical concern, particularly for older adults. His landmark 2013 study on TORS for oropharyngeal cancer (225 citations) established a less debilitating alternative to traditional chemoradiation, directly addressing the need to reduce post-treatment functional impairment. Dr. Kakarala further validated these benefits in his 2012 investigation of robotic supraglottic laryngectomy (97 citations), showing that organ-preserving robotic approaches can safely avoid the severe toxicities of combined therapy regimens. Beyond clinical outcomes, he has pioneered the economic analysis of these technologies, as seen in his cost-analysis study, identifying key drivers of perioperative expense to improve healthcare value. Through this body of work, Dr. Kakarala has been instrumental in shaping a new standard of care that prioritizes both survival and the patient’s lived experience.